The Election Day…
by TatianaTova
Summary: This is the store #1 in AU West Wing: Leo Thomas McGarry thinks about his father, his dad, and his life.


**Notes:**

**I do not like Alternative Universes and similar stuff, I like to follow canon. But as usual, I read several stories about Ainsley Hayes and Leo McGarry, and this story came to me in a dream. I hope you like it.**

The Election Day…

My name is Leo Thomas McGarry. That is Leo Thomas McGarry, Jr. at least this is what written in my birth certificate, but no one uses junior for many years. Today is my birthday, I am 56 years old, and the same as the day I was born today is the election day.

If you do not know yet, I was born three hours after my father was declared dead. My mom went into labor on the plane. As soon as the plane touched down, she was taken by the ambulance, with secret service escort, to the hospital. Mrs. Santos went with her. Both women were flying to Dallas to be with their respective husbands on election day. Mom tried to call father, but his phone did not answer. Mrs. Santos asked agents to check what was going on. When Annabeth Schott got to his room, he was unconscious. He was taken to the same hospital as mom was, but everyone decided not to tell her until she gave birth. Because she was in active labor, doctors were not able to give her any pain medication. By the time I was born, she was exhausted. She fell asleep. I was taken to the nursery accompanied by two secret serves agents. One stood at the door, and the other was standing next to the nurse who was checking and bathing me. When mom awoke, she saw Uncle Josh and Aunt Donna standing next to the window. Aunt Donna was hugging Uncle Josh, and both of them had red eyes. After they told her that my father was dead, mom screamed. She screamed so hard that agents ran into the room. Doctors had to sedate her; Aunt Donna stayed with her. Uncle Josh was going between the campaign headquarters and the hospital. Three days later my father was buried with all military honors at Arlington Cemetery. Mom barely was able to walk. Many years later I saw the footage of the funeral. I still do not know how she managed to stay and walk. Dr. Bartlet and Aunt Donna were walking next to her. After she was given flag, she collapsed; Uncle Josh managed to catch her before she hit the gowned. He carried her to the waiting paramedics.

While I was growing up, I heard rumors that mom was a trophy wife for an elderly politician. I asked her once why she married father, she told me that she loved him and he loved her. I asked if it was difficult to have 20 years difference in age, she told me that it was easy because my father's soul was young. I knew how they met; I even learned how they got together.

When I was 11 years old, I overheard mom talking to Aunt Donna. She told her that she was running away from her feeling for father so fast that she could not stay in DC. But after she saw him at the party for some congressman in Atlanta, he asked her to dance with him. She tried to say no, but he told her that it was just a dance, and she agreed. At the end of the party, he offered to walk her to her car, she told him that she was staying at the hotel. He offered to walk her to her room; she agreed. When she opened the door, father took her hand and kissed back of it. She looked him in the eyes and saw something; she was not sure what. She invited him to have a cup of coffee. She told aunt Donna that as soon the door was closed, he kissed her. I did not understand a lot than, but mom said that after he kissed her, they ended up in bed, and father loved her. He showed to her what she was missing with all the other guys. In the morning, he left while she slept. He sent her a bouquet of red roses and a note that he would like to see her again. Mom did not call him. But 6 weeks later she knew that she must see him, she was pregnant with father's child. She called him and asked him to meet her at the café next to the White House. He was happy to see her; he asked her if she liked to come back to work at the White House. He was talking, and she was quiet. Finally, he noticed that she was quiet, he asked her what was wrong. She gave him the note from her doctor; when he finished reading, he just asked her, "Mine?" She nodded. He told her that she made him the happiest man in the world. He asked her if she would let him take care of her and a baby. He asked her to move in with him. One week after she moved in, he asked her to marry him. He told her that he wanted her to marry him the moment he saw her, he simply did not know how to ask. She did not want him to marry her just because of the baby; he told her that he would marry her with or without a child. He loved her. Mom agreed. Three weeks later they married in a quiet ceremony attended only by her parents and a few close friends, including the President and Mrs. Bartlet. Two weeks later she lost a child. They were devastated. But next year, at the end of the April mom was pregnant with me. Father was ecstatic; my oldest sister told me that he looked younger and more energetic. When Uncle Josh asked my father to be on the ticket with President Santos, mom asked him not to do it, but he talked her into it. And 10 minutes later Mr. and Mrs. Santos and Mr. and Mrs. McGarry stood on the stage and accepted nominations for the candidacy to the President and Vic-President from the Democratic party. Mom was almost seven months to term with me. All campaign tried to shield her as much as possible, but there were certain appearances which she needed to make. This is why on the day of the election she was on the plane with Mrs. Santos.

When I was 3 years old, Uncle Sam's wife, Michelle Seaborn, was hit by a drunk driver. She died on the way to the hospital. By some miracle Kathy, Katheryn Elizabeth Seaborn, who was only 1-year-old survived the crash and had only minor injuries. Uncle Sam was devastated. I remember when mom and Aunt Donna was taking care of Kathy and him. I asked mom why Uncle Sam was crying, she told me that sometimes men cry too; that Uncle Sam was grieving the same way as she was grieving for my father. For a long time, Uncle Sam did not smile. I remember at my sixth birthday party, children began a food fight, and someone hit Uncle Sam. He joined the fight; it was the first time that I saw him smile and laugh in years.

After my seventh birthday party, Uncle Josh offered to put me to bed. He told me that girls, mom and Aunt Donna, like to talk without men, him and me. After he read me a book and wished me a good night, he turned off the lights and left. I waited a few minutes and quietly exited my room. They were seated at the kitchen table. I did not see very well, but I was able to hear what they were talking about. Uncle Josh asked mom, "Do you seriously believe that if I die tomorrow, I would want Donna to live the rest of her life as my widow? I am 12 years older than she is; she will outlive me by any rate. I would want her to continue to live even if I would not be around. Leo would not want you to be his widow to the rest of your days." Mom told him that he cannot know that. Uncle Josh told her that he knew it for a fact, because the day my father told him that he would be marrying mom, Uncle Josh asked him if he knew what he was doing. 20 years difference was not a joke. Uncle Josh continued, "Leo told me that he knows that you will outlive him. And he asked me to give him a word that I will make sure that you will not bury yourself alive." Aunt Donna said, "You saw it yourself; he came alive next to you. We both helped him after Michelle died. You are de-facto Kathy's mom. Sam told me that he calls you for advice about her all the time. You buy all her clothes. You cook meals at his house. You spend all week-ends together taking kids everywhere. Your children attending the same school; you constantly carpooling. Leo needs a father. Kathy needs a mother. You need a husband who will take care of you. You still a young woman. Think about it." Uncle Josh added, "When you met, there was an attraction. No one says that you need to jump in each other's arms tomorrow, but do not waste time. I had wasted almost 9 years, but she was working for me. You are both adults who lived through the tragedy. Give yourself and Sam a chance to be happy again. Maybe two of you would be able to heal together." I returned to my room and did not hear what mom said.

A few days later, Uncle Sam and Kathy came to us to have lunch and play some games. After lunch Uncle Sam asked me if he can talk to me. We went to the back yard. He told me that he likes my mom a lot, and he wants to marry her. He asked if I will agree to it. I asked him if I would have to call him dad; he told me that it would be my decision. I asked him if I would need to change my last name; he told me that neither he nor my mom would ever think about it, that I had honorable father, and I am his legacy. I told him that it would be OK for him to marry my mom.

Two months later, in the small ceremony at the courthouse, in the presence of our families, and a few friendly, mom and Uncle Sam got married. The photographer made a picture which I still keep on my desk: mom in the off-white skirt suit with the small fascinator with veil holding mixed colored roses, uncle Sam in black suit with the burgundy striped tie, I am in the similar suit with the similar tie, and Kathy in the light pink dress with the burgundy such. This picture made us family. Next, to it, I have a picture from three years later: mom in a light blue summer dress seating at an angel, holding one-year-old George Alexander Seaborn in her lap, Sam (he lost title Uncle somehow) standing behind them, I stand next to Sam and Kathy in front of us. I love this picture. I see my mom, my brother, my sister, and I see my dad, whom I never called dad. Even after Kathy began calling mom mommy, and George began calling Sam daddy, I still called him Sam. I was stubborn.

When I was sixteen, I got in major trouble. We were drinking beer; I did not drive, but I was in the car with my friends when we flew through the red light and hit 2 cars. There were fatalities. Thank God, I was seating in the back. Thank God, I was only drunk. My problem with the law was my least problem. Sunday in the afternoon, a week after the accident the house was filled to the brim with the people: aunt Donna and uncle Josh came with Margaret and Mallory; Dr. Bartlet came with her daughter and son-in-law. Charles wheeled-in President Bartlet, he was not able to move for quite some time, but I was told that he wanted to be here. No one yelled, no one raised a voice, everyone talked in monotone. For the next two hours, I was given a history of my father's alcoholism and addiction problems. I did not talk to them; I do not remember saying anything; but by the end of the day, I swore never to drink again. I let myself have an occasional flute of the champion, or a glass of wine at the celebration, or a snifter of cognac with Sam or Uncle Josh, but nothing more. The same year, Uncle Josh put me to work as the volunteer for President Wyatt's re-election. He hooked me up.

After I graduated high school, I had a choice of schools. I was accepted two several ivy league school. I chose Columbia University. I wanted to put distance between me and my family. I was happy; the trust fund that my father left me was more than enough to attend the school and live off the campus. But mom and Sam insisted that I had a part-time job. To this day I am grateful to them for making me work, I understood my classmates better. I had several courses which were taught by Professor Ziegler. Every time I answered his question, he smacked me down. Every time I expressed opinion, he told me that I needed to think it through again. I was ready to quit. I was seating in the cafeteria talking to my classmates when I said that I am quitting, I heard a voice of Professor Ziegler behind me; he said, "McGarry never quit." Somehow, I knew, he talked about me, not about my father. When I finished the semester, I got the highest grades in the class in all of Professor Ziegler's courses. The next year was the same story. I asked Sam why he was doing it, Sam told me that Toby knew that I did not reach my potential yet, and he wanted me to be at the top of my game. Thank you, Professor Ziegler, for pushing me.

I met my wife when I was 27 years old. We met at the party, and I fell head-over-heels in love with her. Two years later we got married. At our wedding probably the first time since Sam married my mom, I showed to him that he is my dad. When we were preparing for the wedding, Brenda and I decided that everyone will refer to Sam as the father of the groom, not a step-father. Three years later, when mom and Sam came to see my newborn son, I took him from Brenda, walked to Sam and said, "Sam, meet your new grandson, Samuel Alexander McGarry." Sam looked at me, looked at my son. Branda said, "Sam, why don't you take your namesake and hold him for a minute." Sam's eyes were full of tears. I told him that I had a father, but I also had a dad, and he was it.

And now back to today. Unfortunately, in 2049 at the age of 90 Uncle Josh passed away. Aunt Donna was not able to live without him and three years late died in her sleep. Sam is 99-years old, next year we will celebrate his centennial birthday. Mom is 95, but she as beautiful as she always was. They are happy together. Sam told me that they will not sleep tonight. They want to know the results of the election. I want to know the results of this election too. I want to know if I will enter the White House as the new resident or my opponent will win the election. Many years ago, Uncle Josh told me that I was the greatest achievement of my father, but I was born to overshadow even him, and enter the history books as the President of the United States. I hope that Uncle Josh was right. This year was very difficult for me and my family. I fought, I really fought to get where I am right now. I did not want my father's, nor dad's names and achievements to speak for me. I want to prove to both of them, but most importantly to myself that I am my own man who was able to get here because of my choices based on their lives and advice.

Wait a minute…

Oh, my God. I won California! I am the next President of the United States of America.

Thank you, father, for my life. Thank you, dad, for being there for me. Thank you, mom, for loving these two incredible men. Thank you, Uncle Josh, for helping mom give me dad…


End file.
